Councils ‘too slow’ to take action on derelict sites

Junior minister warns local authorities that 'inconsistency' in tackling vacancy and dereliction is 'undermining national efforts'

Junior ministers Christopher O'Sullivan and John Cummins with housing minister James Browne and junior minister Kieran O'Donnell at a Budget 2026 press conference earlier this month. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Junior housing minister John Cummins has warned local authorities that “inconsistency” in tackling vacancy and dereliction is “undermining national efforts”, as he accused some councils of being “too slow to take decisive action”.

Mr Cummins, Fine Gael’s minister of state for planning, will extend exemptions for another three years to allow the conversion of commercial units to residential without planning permission.